Lime treatments are very beneficial for the health of your grass, specifically for lawns with overly acidic soil. Because the soil in Iowa can be mildly acidic, you should also have your soil tested to determine if your lawn would benefit from lime treatments. There are also other things that can cause your lawn to need lime treatments, such as a nutrient deficiency. If your lawn does need a lime treatment, you should schedule it for the late spring or fall for the best results.

In what situations are lime treatments necessary?

A backyard of dying grass in need of a lime treatment in Hartford, IA.

There are a few situations in which your lawn would most likely benefit from a lime treatment. These situations include:

  • Nutrient deficiency: Lime treatments contain a soil amendment made from ground limestone, which naturally contains calcium and magnesium. So, one reason your lawn could need a lime treatment is that it is deficient in these nutrients. Signs that your lawn has low levels of calcium and magnesium include slow growth, dead grass blade tips, and yellow patches.
  • Low soil pH: The pH level of your soil significantly affects the amount of vital nutrients that are available to the roots of your grass; soil that has a low pH level (or is acidic) does not provide an environment that promotes optimal growth. Lime treatments bring the pH level of your soil closer to neutral, which is the ideal pH for grass growth. If your soil is acidic, you might notice yellow spots on your lawn, wilting grass blades, moss, or stunted grass growth.
  • Unsuccessful fertilization: If you recently applied fertilizer to your lawn but you are not seeing the results you hoped for, your lawn might benefit from a lime treatment. A lawn that is unresponsive to fertilization is a common indicator of a low soil pH level, which can be corrected with the application of lime.

Always test your soil before applying lime to your lawn.

Because low soil pH is a reason why your lawn might need a lime treatment, it is important to get your soil tested first. Soil testing makes you aware of the pH of your soil. So, if you get your soil tested and the test indicates that your soil is acidic, your lawn would most likely benefit from a lime treatment. Soil testing can also determine if your lawn is deficient in the nutrients that a lime treatment can replenish. If you schedule a lime treatment for your lawn without testing your soil, there is a chance that your lawn doesn't need lime at that time; besides being an unnecessary expense, applying a lime treatment when your lawn doesn't need it could potentially damage your grass.

Lime treatments can also make future fertilizer treatments more effective.

At what time of year should you schedule lime treatments?

A large backyard of lush green grass behind our client's home in Dallas Center, IA.

If you find out that your lawn could use a lime treatment, the best time of the year to schedule it is in either late spring or fall. This is because the weather during this time frame helps the lime break down and start working. You should never apply lime to your lawn in the summer because the high temperatures can negatively affect the chemical process and cause your soil's pH level to become even more imbalanced.

Give us a call today to schedule a lime treatment for your lawn!

At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we have been providing quality lawn care and landscaping services to property owners in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and nearby communities in Iowa since 1988. We offer professional lime treatments that include soil testing to determine if your lawn would benefit from this treatment. Call us at (515) 289-2020 to schedule a soil test and lime treatment for your lawn today!